Ministry of Health announces Whanganui as one of nine locality network pilots

Whanganui joins the likes of Horowhenua and Taupō/Tūrangi in the pilot initiative. Photo / Bevan Conley

Whanganui will be one of nine areas to roll out locality network pilots aimed at improving the delivery of healthcare in local communities.

Minister of Health Andrew Little made the announcement on Thursday, saying the locality approach would be a collective of networks providing advice to Health New Zealand (HNZ) and the Māori Health Authority (MHA) on the health services needs identified by their communities.

"Iwi and the local community will determine their own geographic area that will become the 'locality', so the area it serves makes sense to the people that live and work there.

"The area for each locality network will be determined by a range of criteria including priority population groups, iwi boundaries and local government boundaries."

Once Health New Zealand and the Māori Health Authority had worked with communities to identify their localities, a locality commissioner would be assigned to meet and talk about the community's priorities for local care, Little said.

New locality areas will be stood up over the next two years, and organisations involved in supporting people's care will become part of locality partnerships.

"This targeted engagement will inform a locality plan that will influence local healthcare services.

"People will have a more direct voice to determine how health services are delivered because locality networks are required to consult, engage and capture the input of the communities they represent including iwi, local authorities and social sector agencies rather than relying on a small number of elected reps under the DHBs," Little said.

The first nine locality networks will have additional support so HNZ and MHA understand how to best refine and roll out the localities approach over the next two years.

"People living in these nine areas will start to see changes over the next six months. Organisations responsible for providing care will start to work more closely together."

The first nine areas to roll out the locality approach are Ōtara/Papatoetoe, Hauraki, Taupō/Tūrangi, Wairoa, Whanganui, Porirua, West Coast, Eastern Bay of Plenty and Horowhenua.